England have been given a major selection conundrum for Tuesday's opening Test at a ground which has become symbolic of its surroundings for Sri Lanka.

The home side have been as imposing at the stadium, some 70 miles south of Colombo, as the 200-year-old Dutch fort which provides the backdrop - and Muttiah Muralitharan has held the key to their five consecutive wins here.

Spin has dominated the eight matches played since its inception as a Test arena in 1998, with star turn Muralitharan claiming an incredible 48 wickets in his last five appearances and 60 in all.

Only Pakistan, of visiting countries, have won at a venue where the Indian Ocean laps the shores only a stone's throw away and most of Sri Lanka's six victories have been thumping, including the innings defeat of Nasser Hussain's tourists in 2001.

Such is the slow pace and low bounce of the surface that England will consider playing all three frontline spinners - Ashley Giles, Gareth Batty and Robert Croft - although the more likely option is for two to feature.

A slow-bowling trio would be effective late in the game but would be somewhat detrimental if England lost the toss and bowled first; their presence would restrict the side to one specialist seam bowler supported by all-rounder Andrew Flintoff and decrease the threat with the new ball on the first morning.

"The pitch looks very similar to the last time we were here, there is not much grass on it, it looks like it will play well for a couple of days and then the spinners will really come into play," said captain Michael Vaughan. "Make no bones about it, the toss will be important.

"When you look at a wicket like that three spinners could come into play and we have to consider in the build-up to the match, how much the seamers are likely to bowl.

"We will try to come up for the best formula for this wicket because it is a one-off kind of game. While Kandy and Colombo favour the seam bowlers, here it favours the spinners and it really is horses for courses.

"This is definitely a unique place to play, where spin comes into the equation on the first morning of the first day.

"We need to get selection spot-on but whichever way we go there is bound to be a time in the game when we will wish we had played the other guy - you have to go with your decision and play to the best of your ability."

When three winters ago England completed what was arguably their finest away series victory since winning the Ashes in 1986-87, they did so with a brilliant countering of Murali and a canny fast-bowling attack which adapted to the humid conditions.

In fact, Murali's recent statistics highlight their overall success against the off-spinner: his last 22 English victims have taken him five Tests, at an average of almost 33, and his strike rate of 98.7 is painfully slow compared to his career return of a wicket every 60 balls.

Four of the top six in the last series have returned but the absence of man-of-the-series Darren Gough, now retired from Test cricket, Andrew Caddick and Craig White will have its effect, according to Vaughan.

"It is important we put on a good show and play some good cricket but we have to be realistic in that we are very experienced in the batting line-up and inexperienced in the bowling," he said.

"Last time we were here Darren Gough, Craig White and Andy Caddick were outstanding and we obviously don't have any of those guys any more. You have to be a bit lenient on the young seam bowlers, who are coming out to bowl to these aggressive batsmen for the first time.

"But we will go out in the same way, with the same amount of planning, to try and put Sri Lanka under pressure because we showed when they are under pressure, they can definitely fold."

Sri Lanka are also pondering playing three specialists as well as left-armer Sanath Jayasuriya, who was their top wicket-taker with 16 during England's 2-1 series win.

"Spin bowling will hold the key to this match and it looks like a typical Galle wicket," said captain Hashan Tillekeratne.

"We have experienced guys to support Murali and they can surprise a few English batsmen.

"Because the conditions suit us in Galle this is a crucial match for us and we need to make sure we start strongly."

One way the hosts might find room for two back-up men to Murali in the XI as well as seamers Chaminda Vaas and Dinusha Fernando, who is set to make his debut, would be to hand Kumar Sangakkara the wicketkeeping gloves in preference to Romesh Kaluwitharana.

Meanwhile, the series will begin under something of a cloud for the hosts after Sri Lanka Cricket president Thilanga Sumathipala issued a statement in the light of accusations of him procuring a passport for an 'underworld character'.

He denied local newspaper reports he was to be arrested for passport fraud, saying he would appear voluntarily in court.

"I had already gone to the CID and made statements. I am not avoiding this issue," said Sumathipala, who was reinstated as the head of the country's cricket board in June after an investigation into financial irregularities found no evidence.

"Some media for reasons best known to them have been speculating that I have gone into hiding," he added. "I have not, but will go before the court next week seeking justice."